


Too Old

by kikabennet



Series: The Wonderful World of Teenagers [5]
Category: Shameless (US)
Genre: Cute Kids, Daddy!Ian, Daddy!Mickey, Gavrel Milkovich, Horny Teenagers, Isidora Milkovich, Married Life, Teenagers, Tweenagers, Underage Sex, kids are growing up
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-03
Updated: 2016-02-08
Packaged: 2018-05-17 22:51:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 5
Words: 14,613
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5888335
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kikabennet/pseuds/kikabennet
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Part of the "Wonderful World of Teenagers" series. The kids are growing up, almost too old to be kids anymore. Changes with each one changes the whole family in different ways, and Ian, Mickey, and Svetlana must grow as well because they're coming to that part of parenting.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, some underage stuff is about to go on, but let's be honest, in South Side, virginity is lost at what? Fourteen usually? No virginity will be lost in this chapter, but I'm just putting it out there, that the Milkovich tweenagers are growing up mentally, emotionally, and physically and like other kids, they do experiment. I'm just letting you know now because I don't want to surprise anybody.  
> I hope you enjoy it! I love writing this family! Please let me know if you have any ideas and I try very hard to always reply to feedback.

Gavrel inhaled sharply and arched his back as he came, covering his eyes with one hand. He waited until he caught his breath and then breathed out, “Jake, stop.”

Jakob removed himself from Gavrel and wiped his mouth, smiling shyly.

“Was that any good?” He asked hopefully.

Gavrel nodded, taking in gulps of air.

“It was real good,” he said.

Jakob grinned now, and crawled up the length of Gavrel, but was stopped inches from the other boy's face. Gavrel sat up, holding up his hands.

“Dude,” he said. “We talked about this. No gay shit like kissing and stuff.”

“I just thought...” Jakob slinked back slightly, his cheeks burning.

Gavrel rolled off of his bed and pulled his pants and underwear up. It wasn't like his bed at his fathers' house across town-a small twin, but a full bed that fit two people much better.

“Getting your dick sucked is one thing,” he said, feeling guilty for not reciprocating Jakob's affection. “But it's just easier for your friend to suck you off instead of trying to charm some girl into doin' it.”

It was an odd friendship, Gavrel and Jakob's, but if Gavrel was being honest with himself, he'd say Jakob was his best friend. Maybe even his only true friend. They'd met over the summer at some kind of doctor picnic shindig of Alex's, Gavrel's mother's doctor longtime doctor boyfriend. It was an outdoors event filled with other rich doctors and hospital board members. Being born and raised South Side, Gavrel had been bored out of his mind until he found another kid his age to talk to. That was Jakob, the soft-spoken, half Greek, half French, full Jewish son of two doctors there. He had soft blue eyes and a sideways smile, and his thick, dark hair would have been curly had it not been short. The boys had walked around talking about school and video games and movies and sports. They'd hit it off so well that Gavrel had invited him back to his mother's house to play basketball.

Yevgeny had close friends, but Gavrel hadn't been that kind of child. He'd never gone to sleep over at a friend's house or had someone he could call a best friend until Jakob, which was late in the game seeing as he was nearing fourteen. It didn't take long, maybe only three or four sleep overs at each other's houses, before Gavrel felt something off about Jakob. Something familiar in a way that he couldn't quite put his finger on.

Nothing sexual happened until they had jerked off in front of each other, and Gavrel chalked that up to them being horny teenagers. After that, Jakob got a little more bold and while they were both in Gavrel's full-size North Side bed, did his hand creep into Gavrel's pajama pants and give him an amazing hand job. After that, blow jobs. He never asked for anything from Gavrel in return.

“Your dads are gay,” Jakob pointed out helplessly. “I don't understand what the problem with kissing would be.”

“My dads are gay,” Gavrel said. “I'm not.”

“You're not gay?” Jakob did not sound convinced.

“I'm not anything,” Gavrel said. “I don't like that relationship crap.”

Jakob nodded, folding his lips in. Finally he said in a small voice, “Okay.”

“Look,” Gavrel said, sighing. “You wanna go down to the park? Shoot some baskets?”

“Sure.” Jakob gave one of his side smiles that Gavrel couldn't help but find endearing. He sat down next to him on the bed and asked, “Wanna do the honors?”

He let Jakob prick his finger to test his blood sugar. It was the closest thing to affection he could give to his friend.

============================================================================

“I'm leaving!” Izzy called, opening the front door.

“Where?” Her father, Mickey, called back, coming down the stairs.

“The art store,” Izzy said as he came down the stairs. “I need some oil pastels. Mine are all nubs and I want to start a new piece.”

“Be careful, alright?” Mickey said, heading into the kitchen.

“I will,” Izzy promised, and bumped into Gavrel and Jakob, who were entering the house.

“You two smell ripe!” She teased, fanning the air in front of her face.

Gavrel teased her back by putting his armpit in her face, making her squeal. Mickey came into the living room holding a glass of ice water.

“Hey, leave your sister alone,” he said, scuffing Gavrel on the back of the head. “Hey, Jakob.”

“Hi, Mr. Milkovich,” Jakob greeted politely.

“It's hot outside,” Gavrel told his sister. “Are you sure you want to go all the way to the art store?”

“Yeah, Kid,” Mickey said. “Let me drive you. Your fuckin' pastels will be melted by the time you get back.”

“Thanks, Daddy,” she replied.

“Mmhmm,” Mickey murmured flatly.

“I guess I should head home,” Jakob said, rubbing the back of his neck.

At that moment, Ian came into the house, carrying bags of groceries. He playfully kicked Gavrel in the seat of his pants.

“Go get the rest of them, would you?” He asked, popping some gum he was chewing.

“Dad, what are we eating for dinner tonight?” Izzy asked him, peering into one of the grocery bags Ian set on the table.

“Orange chicken,” Ian said. “I found a recipe on Pinterest. I hope it turns out good.”

“Like Chinese food orange chicken?” Izzy's brows furrowed and then she shrugged. “Okay.”

Ian seemed to notice their guest for the first time and said, “Hey, Jakob.”

“Hi.”

“He's leaving,” Izzy told Ian.

“You don't wanna stay for dinner?” Ian asked. “Orange chicken?”

Jakob looked at Gavrel, who shrugged and Ian smiled.

“Gavvie,” he prodded gently. “Groceries. Go.”

“Okay, okay,” Gavrel said, slapping Jakob lightly on the arm. “Come on.”

===================================================================================

After they brought the groceries in and Izzy began helping Ian to put them away, the boys traveled back upstairs, Gavrel tossing his old worn basketball into the air. When they got to the bedroom that Gavrel shared with Yevgeny, which was smaller than the bedroom he had to himself at his mother's house, he removed his shirt and smelled his armpits.

“We really do stink,” he said.

“It is hot outside,” Jakob said, shrugging one shoulder.

“Let's go take a shower,” Gavrel said, tossing his sweaty, smelly t-shirt into the corner where a pile of laundry was already building. Yevgeny had broke their dirty clothes hamper standing on it trying to untangle the chain that controlled the speed of the overhead ceiling fan.

“Together?” Jakob asked, slightly nervous.

“Nobody's gonna know we're in there together,” Gavrel said. “Come on.”

It really was just showering together, and when they got out and went back to the bedroom, Gavrel lent Jakob some clothes to wear so he didn't have to change back into his sweaty clothes. The two sat side by side on Gavrel's bed, Gavrel putting some clean socks on. Jakob grinned slightly.

“What?” Gavrel frowned.

“You'll get mad at me,” Jakob warned.

“What?” Gavrel really wanted to know now.

“Your insulin pump,” Jakob said, nodding at Gavrel's covered stomach. “I just...I kind of like it. It suits you, I guess.”

“It better.” Gavrel grinned too. “It fucking keeps me alive.”

They both laughed a little and then traveled back downstairs to see what was going on with the parents and sister.

Yevgeny was staying the night at their mother's, so Gavrel invited Jakob to stay the night at their fathers'. Jakob agreed and called his parents to let them know where he'd be. Ian's orange chicken actually smelled really good, and tasted even better once they were all sitting down at the table eating it with rice and mixed vegetables. After dinner, the boys played Xbox with Mickey while Ian browsed workout information online and Izzy holed herself up in the garage or her “studio” as she called it, blasting music and working on one of her many unfinished pieces.

It was summer so the kids didn't really have a bedtime, so even after Ian and Mickey retired, and soon Izzy, Gavrel and Jakob stayed up on the sofa to watch a late night movie on Comedy Central. It sucked because they censored all of the nudity and swear words, so every other word in the main characters' sentences were replaced with annoying BLEEP sound.

“Do you ever think about sex?” Gavrel asked Jakob suddenly, never one to be shy or tiptoe around a subject.

“I guess,” Jakob said, shrugging one shoulder.

“No, I mean, like what kind of sex you want,” Gavrel explained. “Are you gay?”

“I think so,” Jakob said, turning red and staring at the television program, which was currently set to a commercial break.

“I don't care if you are, Dude,” Gavrel said, taking a drink from his water bottle. “I was just curious because I know some gay guys like it up the ass and some like to put it in the ass and some like both.”

“Do you know about your dads?” Jakob asked. “I mean, what they like?”

“I can promise you I am never going to ask them that question,” Gavrel assured him. After a few seconds, he said, “Which one do you think you're gonna be?”

Jakob raised his eyebrows, amused. “What?”

“When you start having sex,” Gavrel explained, like he was talking to a five-year-old.

“Do you mean am I going to take it up the ass or-”

“Or put it in the ass,” Gavrel finished. “Jesus Christ, yes. That's what I'm asking.”

Jakob shifted uncomfortably. “I...I don't know. I mean, don't I have a while to think about it?”

After another long stint of silence, Jakob asked, “What about you?”

“What?” Gavrel frowned.

“IF you were gay,” Jakob said quickly.

“Um,” Gavrel bit his bottom lip in concentration and Jakob couldn't help but smile at that.

“Um,” Gavrel said again. “Honestly, I think I'd take it.”

Jakob let out a breathy, soundless laugh. “You do?”

They turned so they were now facing each other, partially leaning on the back of the couch.

“Well, Yevvie told me that guys have a spot up their ass that's supposed to feel really good,” Gavrel said. “He said that's why guys like anal and girls usually don't, because girls don't have that spot. But if you're the one getting pounded, that means you can jerk off at the same time, so it's like a two in one thing.”

“The prostate,” Jakob said, trying to keep a straight face. “That's what that spot is called.”

“Fuck you,” Gavrel said, turning his attention back to the movie. He could feel Jakob staring at him so he turned to him and asked, “Dude, what?”

“I just can't believe we had that conversation,” Jakob said, shaking his head. “It's weird, right?”

“I'm horny as shit all the time,” Gavrel said, grinning. “Is that normal for thirteen? I mean, I'll be fourteen when school starts back up.”

“I think it's kinda normal,” Jakob replied with a shrug. He folded his lips in and asked sheepishly, “Want me to blow you?”

“Let's google what else we can do,” Gavrel said, standing up and turning the television off with the remote. “Come on, the laptop's in my room.”

“What do you mean?” Jakob asked, following Gavrel up the stairs.

=============================================================================================

“Hey, hey, hey!” Someone said in a purposely made deep voice behind Yevgeny.

He turned around to see Lita Cardenza smiling at him. Lita, whose real name was Carmelita, was one of the waitresses Yevgeny worked with at the sports bar. She was pretty in a simple sort of way. Hispanic with smooth, straight black hair, a straight nose, and a nice smile. She was always playful and fun with her coworkers.

“Hey yourself,” he said. “Wanna help me bleach the silverware?”

“Sure,” she said, moving to stand beside him as the two of them filled large plastic bins with a bleach water solution.

Yevgeny caught her looking at him and that's when he noticed that her dark eyes appeared mild and sharp looking all at the same time. Maybe it was more than just a simple kind of pretty. They worked mostly in silence, making jokes and small talk, and then Lita asked him what he was doing Saturday evening.

“I saw you're off work on the schedule,” she said. “Me and Anneka and Jason are thinking of going out if you want to tag along.”

“Doing what?” Yevgeny asked.

Lita shrugged. “Pop fireworks? Drinks? Play loud music from the back of my truck obnoxiously.”

Yevgeny laughed a little and said, “That sounds really fun, but I'll have to see. I have a little brother and sister that are always up my butt about spending time with them on the weekend.”

He didn't want to turn her down, he really didn't, but after everything that had happened with Jennifer Tuley, he was scared to be around new people, even people his own age. He just didn't have the courage yet to admit it to anyone.

His parents noticed, of course. Yevgeny was now home every single night, and the days he was off, he was at home or taking Gavvie and Izzy somewhere. Girls, too, stopped asking him out because he kept having lame excuses not to go with them, but it would be even more weird if he said, “No, thanks. I'm not dating...ever again.”

Luckily, he hadn't tested for any STDs after the incident with his teacher and her ex-husband, but the memories alone plagued him and made him fearful of everyone. He couldn't trust anyone.

“Oh, that sounds nice,” Lita said. “I wish I had siblings.”

“Maybe some other time?” Yevgeny suggested with a casual shrug.

“How about tonight?” Lita bubbled. “After work, you, me, IHOP.”

She laughed a little and said, “I'm sorry. I'm just sort of still new around here and haven't met anybody yet to reall hang out with.”

“I...” Yevgeny tried to think of another lame excuse. “I have a curfew.”

====================================================================================================

“Are you sure you want to do this?” Jakob asked, closing the laptop.

Gavrel nodded, taking a deep breath. Jakob nodded too and said, “Okay.”

“Hold on.” Gavrel jumped off of his bed to make sure his bedroom door was shut all the way. He went back to the bed and yanked his pajama bottoms down. Both boys were red in the face.

“Gavrel?” Jakob asked in a small voice. “Can you take off your shirt too?”

“My shirt?” Gavrel's shaking hands moved to obey and he pulled it over his head. For the first time since the shower, he was completely naked in front of Jakob.

“I just...” Jakob faltered. “I just think it helps. That way I can see your insulin pump and not break it or something-”

“Fuck, Jake, just get on with it,” Gavrel said, laughing nervously.

“Okay, lie back,” Jakob said and then when Gavrel did, he said, “Wait. Let me put a pillow under your hips first.”

After he did so, Jakob took the bottle of lube Gavrel had handed to him earlier and clumsily squirted some into his hand, rubbing his fingers together. A lot of it dripped onto the sheets.

“Sorry,” he muttered, trying to clean it off but only succeeded in making a bigger mess.

He prodded Gavrel's legs further apart and asked again, “Are you sure? I mean, I could just give you a blow job and you'll still get off.”

“No, I wanna know what this prostate hype is all about,” Gavrel said, covering his eyes with one of his arms.

Jakob nodded and touched one very cold, slick finger to the spot where both boys now knew thanks to google.com was just as important as the dick. He pushed it in, a little abruptly and Gavrel shifted uncomfortably and said, “Fuck, Jake.”

“Want me to stop?” Jakob asked.

Gavrel thought about it and shook his head.

“Uncover your eyes,” Jakob told him. “You're making me uncomfortable.”

Gavrel uncovered his eyes and asked, “I'm making you uncomfortable? I'm totally naked and your finger's up my ass and I'm making you- HOLY SHIT!”

Jakob panicked and covered Gavrel's mouth and then both boys let out a breathy laugh. Jakob pulled back and shushed Gavrel.

“Was that it?” He asked him. “Your prostate, I mean?”

“I think so,” Gavrel said, panting and then moved a little. “What did google say to do next?”

“Add another finger,” Jakob said, giving one of his side smiles. “Want me to?”

Gavrel nodded and Jakob did so, making Gavrel squirm and moan, actually moan. Not grunt or suck in a breath, but a strange, very arousing noise.

“Do you want me to suck you off now?” Jakob asked him, moving his fingers in and out.

Gavrel nodded again and tried to cover his eyes again, but Jakob took his arm and said, “Please don't do that.”

Gavrel looked at him, his pupils large, which sort of freaked Jakob out, but it also kind of looked nice with his mess red hair sticking to his now damp forehead and his cheeks red. Jakob moved to suck him off and tried to get a rhythm going of sucking and fingering, but it was difficult. Gavrel clutched his sheets and then said, “Okay, stop.”

Jakob removed his mouth and Gavrel said, “No, stop all of it.”

Jakob removed his fingers. He looked at Gavrel, almost worried. Without any warning, Gavrel leaned forward and kissed him, sloppily. Jakob took only a few seconds to kiss him back. When they pulled back from each other, Gavrel bit his swollen bottom lip and muttered, “Let's go to sleep.”

================================================================================================

Yevgeny decided to just return to his father's after work. He'd told his mother he wanted to stay the night at her house because the bed was bigger and he had his own room, but it was late and South Side was much closer. He unlocked the front door and was surprised to find Ian up in the kitchen, drinking a glass of water.

“Hey.” Ian's brows furrowed slightly, but then he smiled. “Welcome home.”

“I was too tired to go to Mom's,” Yevgeny said, and then asked, “Everything okay? You're up kind of late.”

“I'm thirty-four, not sixty-four,” Ian joked with a straight face and then said, “I'm actually about to crash. Just finished a movie with Dad upstairs. Some stupid shit that we thought was gonna be an action movie, but it was some hipster drama thing.”

“Sounds fun,” Yevgeny joked back. “I'm gonna shower and go to bed.”

“Yevvie,” Ian said, and then let out a small sigh. “Is everything okay? I mean, I'm married with three kids. It makes sense for me to be asleep at eleven o'clock at night, but I notice you hardly ever go out. Even with Donny.”

“Maybe I'm just getting too old for that now too,” Yevgeny said, giving his father the best smile he could, but it was pathetic.

“Not everyone's like Jennifer Tuley,” Ian said softly.

Yevgeny didn't respond to that. He moved to the table and sat down next to his father.

“A girl at work actually asked me out tonight,” he admitted. “To IHOP. Just IHOP after work to grab dinner and I said no.”

Ian nodded, and Yevgeny continued, “Dad, am I fucked? I mean, I'm scared that everybody's out to do something sinister to me and I know that's not even realistic, but...”

“You just need time is all,” Ian told him, rubbing his hair affectionately and then kissed his temple. “In the meantime, you're free to be anti-social hermits with me and Dad.”

“Thanks.” Yevgeny smiled, and then stood up. “I really am beat tonight, though.”

“Oh, Jakob stayed the night so he might be in your bed,” Ian told him.

“Oh.” Yevgeny paused. “Well, if he is, I'll just take the couch.”

He traveled upstairs and found both boys in Gavrel's tiny twin. Gavrel was face down as usual, snoring loudly into his pillow. When he was little, his parents worried he would suffocate that way and constantly flipped him over onto his back, but after a while, they just gave up and let him sleep like that. Jakob was partially on his side, his nose at Gavrel's neck.

Yevgeny tried his best to move around quietly so he wouldn't disturb them. He undressed and took a pair of pajama pants and t-shirt with him to the bathroom. As he showered, and not in a dirty, jerk-off kind of way, he thought of Lita and her nice laugh and smile. He leaned his forehead against the wall of the shower and wondered if he would ever get over this irrational phobia. His step-grandmother, Sheila, had suffered from Agoraphobia for years and could not even take a step out of her house. He wondered if he was on the starting to path to some horrible phobia that would leave him alone forever.

===========================================================================================

Izzy was supposed to be asleep, but she was on her laptop, under her covers, having a Skype conversation with Dmetri, a fourteen-year-old boy in a small town just outside of Vladivostok in Russia. She had met him online on an art website, and they had been talking online for months now. It was the best secret she'd ever kept. Sometimes they spoke in Russian, but he spoke fairly good English as well, and tonight that's what they were speaking.

“I loved how you just splashed the blue onto the canvas,” he said, his smile large with dimples big enough to hide peanuts in. “One day, Isidora, you be famous.”

He had rich green eyes and stylish light brown hair and Izzy just wanted to pull him through the screen and kiss him. In her school, boys only took art class because it was the easiest elective period class. Probably in all of Chicago there were no boys who appreciated art.

“You'll be more famous,” she said. “You sculpt. I wish I could sculpt. All of the material's too expensive.”

“I've seen your clay sculpting,” Dmetri said. “It's good. I love the seashells you sculpt.”

He looked down modestly, licking his lips. “You're very talented for thirteen.”

Izzy hadn't told him she wasn't even twelve yet, but he was miles and miles away so what did it matter? “Can I have your address?” He asked. “To send you some art?”

“Okay!” Izzy said, blushing. “I'll email it to you.”

“Cool.” He replied, grinning and then said, “I have to get ready for school. You're so lucky it's night in America.”

“It's also summer,” she said. “We don't have school right now.”

“You're so pretty,” he said. “I love your eyes. And your smile.”

Laughing a little, he asked, “Can I kiss you?”

Izzy laughed too, nervously. “Kiss me?”

Dmetri kissed the screen and said, “There. I kissed you.”

He aimed the camera closer and asked, “Kiss me?”

Izzy turned bright red and her heart began to beat very, very fast. She leaned forward and kissed the screen.

“You taste like coffee with cinnamon,” he teased.

“You taste like Butterfingers,” she replied. “Oops. Do you have those in Russia?”

“No.” He laughed. “Butter...finger?”

“It's chocolate and peanut butter, but the peanut butter is crispy,” Izzy said, suddenly wondering how much it would cost to ship Butterfingers to Russia.

“You Americans and your peanut butter,” he teased. “Have a good night, Isidora Milkovich.”

“Have a good day, Dmetri Gorkovsky,” she replied, and even once the Skype window closed, she was hot and shaky. In a way, she sort of had a boyfriend.

 

To Be Continued...

 


	2. Chapter 2

It was a quiet morning at the Milkovich house. Mickey didn't have to work so he was home, drinking coffee and scrolling through his phone while Ian prepared oatmeal. Izzy came downstairs first, fully dressed in a t-shirt and shorts. As she started to pass by the table, Mickey grabbed her without looking and she grinned. He let her go.

“Oatmeal, Diz,” Ian told her. “And toast. Could you actually grab the bread?”

“Yup.” Izzy grabbed the bread and handed it to him. She sat down at the table and stared at Mickey. He stared at her.

“What?” He asked.

“Do you think I'm pretty?” She asked suddenly.

Ian looked at Mickey curiously, waiting to see how he was going to answer. Mickey wasn't the best at giving compliments.

“The fuck kind of question is that?” Mickey asked, frowning.

That's when he noticed that Izzy was wearing makeup.

“No,” he said. “Go wash that off. Right FUCKING now.”

“You're wearing makeup?” Ian asked, his brows furrowing. “Izzy.”

“I followed a tutorial online,” the eleven-year-old defended herself. “I want to look more grown up.”

“You're eleven,” Mickey reminded her.

“I'll be twelve in November,” Izzy retorted. “I'm practically a woman.”

“The fuck you are,” her father said. His eyes trailed the rest of her. “And you shaved?”

He stood up and said, “I told you you couldn't shave.”

“Mickey,” Ian said with a sigh.

“Look at her!” Mickey told him. “She's wearing makeup and shaved her legs and she's a fuckin' kid. You want all the neighborhood pervs at our door? That'll be a lot of blood to clean up.”

“It's my body,” Izzy said, frowning. “I can shave my legs and wear makeup if I want to.”

“That argument means fuck all to me,” Mickey told her. “Go wash that shit off.”

“So I don't even look pretty?” Izzy's face fell.

Ian smoothed some of her long, dark hair back and said gently, “You're so pretty, but this makeup...you don't look like you, and we think you look the best when you look like you.”

Izzy frowned, but went back upstairs. Mickey let out a frustrated sigh.

“Holy fuck,” he said, irritated.

“You could have at least told her she's pretty,” Ian said. “That shit's important to girls.”

“She's not pretty when she's painted up like a whore,” Mickey said.

“It was some eyeshadow and lip gloss,” Ian argued. “She's experimenting, Mick. Kids do that.”

Mickey said nothing, and picked up his cup of coffee. Ian waited for him to take a drink and then asked, “What am I gonna do with you when she starts dating?”

Mickey choked on his coffee and when he stopped coughing he said, “Can we please not get into that right now?”

Yevgeny came down the stairs next, already dressed for work. Ian nodded at the pot of oatmeal on the stove.

“Thanks, Dad,” Yevgeny said, opening the fridge to get the orange juice.

“Where'd you sleep last night?” Ian asked. “Thought you were taking the couch.”

“Jakob slept in the bed with Gavvie,” Yevgeny replied simply. “So...I didn't have to.”

“Little fucker needs to get up,” Mickey said. “Check his blood sugar.”

He traveled to the bottom of the stairs and called, “Gavvie! Get your ass up, Kid!”

==============================================================================================

“I think that's your dad,” Jakob said sleepily as he stretched next to Gavrel, who still had his face in his pillow.

“Fuck that guy,” Gavrel muttered, also stretching. When he caught Jakob's eye, Jakob looked away for a moment and then asked timidly, “Can I kiss you?”

Gavrel's cheeks burned. He rolled onto his back and before he could answer, Jakob leaned down and kissed his lips. He laid down next to Gavrel and asked quietly, “Are you gay, Gavvie?”

“No,” Gavrel said.

“Not even a little?” Jakob prodded, sliding his hand under the covers into Gavrel's pajama bottoms-the back of them- and moved his fingers towards the spot they were in the night before.

Gavrel arched slightly, sucking in a breath.

“Do I need to use the lube?” Jakob asked, his fingers hesitating.

Gavrel nodded, and Jakob smiled, knowing that was an invitation. He reached over and picked up the lube from under the bed and hurriedly put some on his fingers. He then went back to work, watching Gavrel's face as he moved two fingers in and out of him.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck,” Gavrel muttered, his heels now digging into the mattress.

“You didn't...you know, _finish_ last night,” Jakob reminded him, and then asked, “Do you want to now?”

At that moment, Mickey opened the door and said, “Hey. Didn't you hear me calling you? Blood sugar time. Let's go. Dad's makin-”

He stopped. Jakob stopped. Even though everything was going on under the covers, Mickey had a pretty good idea of _what_ was going on.

“Jakob,” he said, scrubbing a hand down his mouth. “Gavrel's got shit to do. Why don't you get dressed and head home, Kid.”

“Yes, sir,” Jakob said, all but flying out of the bed.

After his shoes were on and he was out of the room, Mickey stared at Gavrel, his eyebrows raised.

“Get your ass downstairs,” he told him, walking out of the room.

================================================================================================

“Hey,” Ian said when Mickey came back downstairs. “What's up? Jakob ran out of here without a word.”

Mickey motioned for Ian to step away from the prying ears of Yevgeny, who wasn't really paying all that much attention because he was talking to Svetlana over the phone.

“What?” Ian asked, his tone more hushed now.

“Jakob ran out of here,” Mickey said slowly. “Because he knew I was about to murder his little ass.”

“Huh?” Ian's brows furrowed. “Is he ragging on Gavvie about his diabetes or something or-”

“He was in Gavvie's bed finger fucking him!” Mickey growled, glancing at Yevgeny to make sure he still wasn't listening in on them.

“What?” Ian asked, loudly. “Mickey, cut the shit.”

Mickey opened the kitchen door and dragged Ian into the backyard, shutting it behind them.

“There's a bottle of lube by the bed spilling over on the floor,” he told Ian. “Gav's in bed like a fuckin' contortionist with Jakob's hand under the blankets.”

“Fuck,” Ian said. He stared at Mickey and asked skeptically, “Gavvie?”

They went back inside and Gavrel was sitting sullenly in one of the kitchen chairs, dressed, hands in his lap. Ian motioned for him to follow them back outside. Gavrel did so, and averted their gaze completely.

Ian sighed and asked, “Where do we even start this conversation?”

“I'm not having this conversation,” Gavrel said.

“The fuck you aren't!” Mickey snapped.

“I don't even understand why I'm in trouble,” Gavrel shot back. “We weren't doing anything!”

Mickey started to snap again, but stopped himself, looking to Ian for help.

“Gavvie,” Ian said. “Buddy, you're right. You're not in trouble.”

“Yes,” Mickey said. “He fucking IS in trouble.”

Ian ignored that and told their son, “You're not. I need to- _we_ need to know, though, what all you and Jakob did because gay sex is a little more risky than straight sex when it comes to STDs, okay?”

“I'm not gay,” Gavrel scoffed, almost in disbelief. “ _Mickey_ didn't see shit because we weren't doing anything. He was just in my bed!”

It didn't bother Ian as much, but it irked Mickey when Gavrel would address them by their first names when he wanted to be a smart-ass.

“Nobody is saying you're gay,” Ian said, sounding frustrated. “I didn't say that. Dad didn't say that. Sometimes straight people...experiment. It's human nature, it's life, but Gavvie, it's important you tell us if something happened that we might need to know about.”

Mickey felt some of his anger drain out of him when Gavrel said, almost meekly, “No. Nothing happened. He was just in the bed with me.”

Ian looked at Mickey, who sighed and looked away. Gavrel asked, “Can I go inside now?”

“Yeah, Baby.” Ian kissed his forehead.

Gavrel went back inside and as soon as the door shut, Mickey said, “Little shit.”

“Do you think they...had sex?” Ian asked. “We've told Yev where the condoms are and that we don't keep count, but Gavvie...”

He massaged his eyes with his fingertips and continued, “I don't know if Gavvie would even know that gay sex requires a condom. A lot of kids think condoms are to prevent pregnancy.”

Izzy opened the door, her face free of makeup and closed it behind her. Ian and Mickey looked at her.

“I won't wear makeup,” she promised. “But I am going to shave my legs. Even if you think it's because I want to look sexy, it's not. I have really dark leg hair and it's embarrassing and I want to wear shorts and dresses.”

“Okay,” Mickey said.

“Okay?” Izzy's eyebrows raised, and then she looked horrified. “Who died?”

Ian and Mickey gave her a strange look and Izzy opened the door and walked back in calling sadly, “Yevvie! Gavvie! I think Grandpa Frank died!”

Ian muttered, “shit” and went back inside calling to Izzy, “Grandpa Frank didn't die, Iz!”

Izzy was already on the phone in tears saying, “Okay, Grandpa. I love you.”

“You called to see if he was dead?” Ian asked in disbelief.

“You told me he was dead!” She sobbed.

“No I didn't.” Ian sounded indignant. “I didn't say anything. Dad did, and it was about you shaving.”

“Oh.” Izzy sniffled. “Well, I guess I'm just not used to him caving in so easily.”

“Izzy, you're psychotic.” Ian laughed a little, kissing her head and giving her a hug.

Mickey finally came back inside and it was just Yevgeny in the kitchen, finishing his oatmeal.

“Hey,” he asked. “Where's your brother?”

==================================================================================================

“Lita?” Yevgeny asked when he got to work. The restaurant wasn't open yet, but servers had to start almost two hours early to prepare for the lunch crowd.

Lita was busy filling napkin dispensers. She smiled at Yevgeny.

“Hey there,” she said, grinning. “How was your night?”

“Oh, I crashed as soon as I got home,” he replied, truthful enough. “How was yours?”

“I went to IHOP and then the movies,” she said, still smiling.

“Oh, cool.” He nodded. “Who'd you go with?”

Lita tucked some hair behind her ear and said, “By myself. I know that sounds pathetic, but I was really hungry and then the movie theater is right there so...”

Yevgeny felt terrible. He remembered her saying she was new and didn't have a lot of friends yet. He also knew she was going to be a senior at his school come fall, so she was probably trying to make friends before then. By senior year, nobody was really making new friends anymore.

“I saw the new Captain America movie,” she said. “I love Captain America.”

Yevgeny began to help her refill the condiments. They worked in silence for a little while.

“Still going out with Anneka and Jason Saturday?” He asked.

She nodded and said, “Yeah. It's too bad you'll have your brother and sister. If there wasn't going to be any alcohol I'd invite them, but you know Jason.”

“I can go,” he said bravely, trying to sound casual.

“Really?” Her eyes lit up. “Oh, Yevgeny. That's great! I'm excited.”

Yevgeny smiled, but deep down he was already having visions of Jennifer Tuley offering him a beer. Feeling disoriented. He had never told anyone, but he had very foggy memories of of Ms. Tuley and her husband crawling all over him, touching him, and him slurring out to them that he felt sick. The very reminders that he could remember those images to a degree left a sick lurch in his stomach.

“You okay?” Lita asked him, concerned. “Hey, Boudreaux.”

“Boudreaux?” Yevgeny looked at her.

“It's common where I come from,” she said with a shrug. “Or like you guys say here 'Bro'.”

She grinned and laughed through her teeth. Yevgeny laughed a little too.

“So you're okay, right?” She asked.

Yevgeny nodded and said, “Yeah. I'm, uh, I'm fine.”

===============================================================================================

Izzy didn't know what was going on with her parents and Gavrel, but something was always going on with Gavrel, so she wasn't that concerned. He was always getting in trouble for fighting or slacking on his work, but in the summertime with no school, she couldn't imagine what made him and Mickey avoid one another like water and oil.

After her evening shower, she got redressed and fixed her hair and reapplied some makeup. It was time for her Skype date with Dmetri. She even spritzed herself with some perfume, even though he wouldn't be able to smell it.

“Hello,” he said in Russian when they finally connected.

“Hi,” she replied back in Russian. “What's up?”

“Getting ready for school,” he said. “Maybe tomorrow you can wake up early so it'll be evening for me.”

“Yeah, that sounds fine,” she said, and awkwardly flipped some of her hair, hoping he'd somehow catch on that she had put a special oil in it to give it extra volume.

“Have you finished your red piece?” He asked her. “I loved the blue piece, so I'm excited about your other paintings.”

“Not yet,” Izzy admitted. “I'll get around to it.”

“You look so pretty tonight,” he said. “Did you just come from a party?”

Izzy panicked.

“Um, yeah,” she said. “An art party. A lot of artists were there.”

“Wow,” Dmetri replied. “Soon you'll be one of those artists. I know you will.”

He grinned sheepishly and said, “I sent something to your home.”

“You did?” Izzy turned red. “What'd you send?”

“You'll know tomorrow,” he told her. “I hope you like it.”

“I'm sure I will,” Izzy agreed. “Wanna kiss me? Like last night? Or...morning?”

========================================================================================

“So we got one kid afraid of people now,” Mickey said. “One closeted homo, and one 'artist' who likes to draw vaginas on the bathroom wall. The fuck happened, Ian?”

Ian climbed into bed beside Mickey and replied, “Nothing happened. Well, life happened, I guess, but Yev's got stuff to work out, Gavvie...I'm not sure if he's just horny or if he really is gay, and Izzy just sees the world differently is all.”

He began to trail kisses all over Mickey's body and said in between pecks and nips, “They're growing up.”

“Wish I could stop it,” Mickey muttered, pulling Ian down on top of him with an 'omph'. “I don't got time for all that foreplay shit tonight.”

Ian kissed him, long and slow.

=================================================================================================

Izzy came out of her studio the next day to hear Ian talking to a flowery delivery guy at the front door. He took the flowers and called out, “Mickey? Did you get me flowers?”

“What?” Mickey came downstairs. “No. You're a fucking dude. Why would I get you flowers?”

“Huh.” Ian shrugged. “I was thinking you lost your mind.”

He found the little notecard in the bouquet and read, 'Isidora, these flowers won't last, but our love will so 'I love you' is not in the flowers, but on this card'.

Izzy's cheeks burned. Mickey took the card and read it.

“Izzy!” He called.

Izzy came out of the garage.

“Ooh, pretty flowers,” she said.

“Yeah, you wanna explain why someone sent you flowers?” Mickey asked her.

“Okay,” Izzy said, sighing. “I have a boyfriend.”

“You have a what?” Mickey asked, like he didn't hear her correctly.

“His name is Dmetri, he lives in Russia,” she continued. “He's an artist like me.”

“You got some commie horndog mailing you roses from across the globe?” Mickey asked in disbelief.

“Where did you meet somebody who lives in Russia?” Ian wanted to know.

“Online,” Izzy replied.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm glad so many of you have enjoyed this story and I appreciate all the feedback and try and respond to every comment so if you have any questions or ideas, shoot!

“Online?” Mickey repeated, eyebrows touching his hairline. “Isidora Milkovich!”

“I wasn't on some dating site or anything,” the eleven-year-old said. “It was an art website, and we started talking because I can speak Russian and he loves my paintings.”

“Izzy,” Ian said, a little more calmly. “You don't ever give your personal information out to a stranger online. You know better than that.”

“He's not a stranger,” Izzy said. “He's my boyfriend.”

Mickey sighed and shook his head, muttering a string of foul words. When he looked up again, he said, “How old is this kid? And please tell me he's a kid.”

“Fourteen,” Izzy replied.

“And you're eleven. WOW.” Mickey took the flowers from Ian and took them to the kitchen to put them in the trash.

“Those are mine!” Izzy yelled. “Daddy, stop!”

“Mickey.” Ian went and took them out of the trash.

“Ian, figure out how to shut that Skype shit down,” Mickey told him. To Izzy he said, “You're a child. For fuck's sake, why the hell are you guys acting like you're grown already?”

Izzy was too busy crying to answer, looking at the flowers Ian was holding. Mickey moved to touch her, feeling guilty for throwing them in the trash, but she moved away from him, covering her face as she wept.

“Baby girl,” Mickey said, sounding frustrated.

“You hate me!” She shrieked, running up the stairs, her bedroom door slamming.

“Fuck!” Mickey kicked the wall. He looked at Ian. “What?”

“I can't believe you threw them in the trash,” his husband said.

Mickey was indignant. “I can't believe you're okay with them coming from somebody in Russia proclaiming his love for our kid!”

“Okay, yes,” Ian said, holding up a hand. “Skype's getting shut off, but Mickey, she's sensitive.”

“Oh, Jesus,” Mickey let his head roll back. “Ian, _don't_.”

“You're upset about Gavrel,” Ian told him. “I am too, and we're worried about Yevgeny, and Izzy's getting flowers and wearing makeup, but we can't take all of the frustration out on one kid.”

At that moment, Gavrel walked into the house and Mickey asked, “Where have you been?”

“Mom's,” he said, heading for the stairs. “I'm going back.”

“Going back?” Mickey frowned. “She doesn't get you until Thursday.”

“No,” Gavrel said. “I asked her if I could just stay there until school started.”

“Until school-” Mickey sighed in frustration again. “Come here.”

  
Gavrel reluctantly came back down the stairs. Mickey silently gestured for him to sit on the sofa. Gavrel sat down, slumping forward.

“Are you mad because I chased Jakob off or because I told Ian what you were doing?” He asked, and just as Gavrel started to open his mouth, he added, “And don't give me any shit about you weren't doin' anything because that's a waste of your time and a waste of my time.”

Gavrel closed his mouth.

“Maybe we should talk about this,” Ian said, sitting next to his son. “You know that you can talk to us, right, Gavvie?”

He tugged on his ear and then kissed it. Gavrel pulled away from him.

“We were your age once too,” Ian reminded him. “Nothing you say can really shock us. Believe me.”

“We didn't have sex,” Gavrel admitted neutrally, hoping they would finally leave him alone.

“Okay,” Ian said after a few seconds. “That's a good start. You're too young.”

“Way too young,” Mickey added quickly.

“That's all I'm saying,” Gavrel said, standing up. “What happens between me and Jakob is _none_ of your business.”

“Hey,” Mickey warned sternly.

Gavrel didn't back down this time.

“It's not,” he said. “I'm gonna stay with Mom. She doesn't treat me like I'm five.”

He jogged up the stairs before either of them could say anything. Mickey looked to the door and asked sarcastically, “Is Yevgeny gonna walk in now and announce he got some girl pregnant? Might as well, right?”

“He's scared, Mickey,” Ian said quietly, referring to Gavrel. “I remember that, you remember that. You feel alone.”

“He knows he has nothing to be ashamed of,” Mickey said angrily. “We taught him that, that it's...fucking okay to be gay or straight or bi or whatever.”

“Did we?” Ian asked, smiling kind of sadly. “I mean, we've never really discussed this kind of stuff with them.”

“Why would we fucking have to?” Mickey asked. “We're gay.”

“That doesn't mean anything to them,” Ian said. “Us being gay is just like telling them the sky is blue. They could care less. They're used to it, but don't you remember being a gay kid? It's lonely.”

Mickey didn't know what to say to that so he said nothing. He just sat down beside Ian on the couch and Ian rubbed the back of his head.

==================================================================================================

“Izzy?” Mickey rapped on his daughter's bedroom door. If he couldn't fix things with Gavrel right away, he could at least try with Izzy.

He opened the door to see Izzy sitting on her bed with a sketch pad balanced on her lap. She glanced up at her father, but said nothing.

“What'chu workin' on?” He asked awkwardly, rubbing the thighs of his jeans.

“I'm sketching some hands. I like to draw hands when I feel bad,” she replied sullenly, holding up her free left hand to sketch it with her right.

Mickey sighed through his nose and said, “I'm sorry I trashed your flowers.”

“ 's okay,” Izzy muttered.

“No, it's not okay,” Mickey said. “Hey, look at me.”

Izzy looked at him.

“This thing with the Russian kid, though,” he said. “That stops, Iz. That's dangerous. You don't know who people really are.”

“I video chat with him,” she argued. “I know that he's a kid.”

“A fourteen-year-old boy pervin' on an eleven-year-old girl is not a kid,” Mickey said. “That's called being a predator.”

“There isn't a single boy in South Side who knows anything about art,” Izzy said. “And that's what I love.”

“Okay, well, loving somebody doesn't mean you have to like the same things,” Mickey said, sitting down beside her. “Fuck, think about me and Dad. He likes the military, and dancing, and he's kind of soft-hearted, right?”

“Yeah.” Izzy's brows furrowed.

“I don't give a shit about the military,” he told her. “Or dancing, and I get loud pretty fast, right? It takes Daddy a little while to finally yell at you guys.”

“Yeah,” Izzy repeated.

“We love each other because of how we get along,” Mickey said. “Not what we like.”

“You balance each other out,” Izzy said pointedly.

“Yeah, exactly,” Mickey agreed. “This Russian thing over the internet, it's not true love. Truth be told, this kid probably has a girlfriend in the neighborhood.”

===============================================================================================

Ian and Mickey (Mickey more reluctantly) decided to give Gavrel space and let him stay with Svetlana. They figured in a few days, he would be ready to come home, maybe not talk things out, but at least come home. They disabled Skype, and Izzy didn't mention it much, but she also wasn't her usual, bubbly self. She mostly just stayed out of sight in the garage painting or coloring with pastels. Saturday night, she even cooked a frozen pizza and took it into the garage with her. Ian and Mickey said nothing, though they really wanted to.

Yevgeny was the only one that wasn't upset with them, but he even surprised them by coming downstairs Saturday night with his hair gelled and wearing his nicest jeans.

“Are you going out?” Ian asked, trying to sound casual about it.

“Yeah, with some coworkers,” Yevgeny said, trying to keep his voice just as light as his father kept his. He peeked into a pot on the stove to see what Ian was cooking.

“Spaghetti,” Ian said flatly. “It's just me and Dad eating tonight, I guess.”

“Where's Izzy?” Yevgeny asked, taking a piece of garlic toast from a cookie sheet on the stove and eating it. “And Gavvie? Why has he been at Mom's all week?”

Ian sighed and said, “He's upset with us, and so is Izzy.”

“About what?” Yevgeny asked through a mouthful of toast.

“Just...stuff,” Ian replied, waving his hand. “So where are you going?”

“Um, out by the water. We're going to park our cars there and somebody's bringing a little barbecue pit and we're just gonna cook and eat and maybe pop fireworks,” Yevgeny replied. “Mind if I take the car?”

Ian shrugged. “We're not going anywhere.”

He smiled at Yevgeny and rubbed his hair before kissing his forehead. “Have a good time.”

Yevgeny nodded shakily, looking away.

==================================================================================================

Yevgeny stared out from his car at the other cars where familiar faces and new ones were piling out of other cars with beer and food. He noticed the other two servers, Jason and Anneka, who reminded him of Kev and Veronica in a weird sort of way. They were carrying a large ice chest together. He also saw Lita. She was wearing shorts and a sweater over a tank top, her long hair piled into some sort of messy bun/ponytail thing and flip flops. She greeted Jason and Anneka with hugs. They hugged and talked and then Anneka and Jason moved to a few other young adults Yevgeny did not know. He kept his eyes on Lita, who continued to put her hands in her pockets and then take them out, looking around. He wondered if she was looking for him.

He sighed and started to get out of the car, but then a visual of Jennifer Tuley and Paxton came to him, their bodies on him. He was trying to sit up, but Paxton kept pushing him back down, shushing him like he was a sleepy toddler. Jennifer Tuley was seated between his legs, slowly stroking him and telling him he was 'almost ready'.

Yevgeny bit his bottom lip and put his seat belt back on. He started the ignition and looked at Lita again. She was wringing her hands together, still looking around.

=======================================================================================================

Gavrel laid on his bed, throwing a tennis ball into the air. He was bored out of his mind without his siblings, but he was too proud to return to his fathers' house. Svetlana and Alex were downstairs laughing at the television.

Not only had Gavrel not heard from Ian or Mickey, but Jakob as well. It stung a little, but Gavrel pushed those feelings way down inside of him. He turned on his Xbox and laid at the foot of the bed on his stomach, waiting for the load screen to come on for whatever game he had left in the console last. It wasn't very fun playing alone. Since he was very small, he'd played video games with Mickey and Yevgeny, who both yelled at the screen and at least once in their lives, chucked the controllers at the wall.

His phone suddenly vibrated, and he paused his game to check and see who was calling him. It was Jakob.

“Hello?” He answered immediately.

“Hi,” Jakob said. “Are you busy?”

“No, Dude, I'm just fuckin' around on Call of Duty,” he replied. “Why? What's up?”

“I just wanted to make sure you were okay,” Jakob said. “Your dad seemed pretty upset a few days ago when he caught us.”

“My dad's a dick,” Gavrel told him. “Don't worry about it.”

“Actually...” Jakob said hesitantly, and it made Gavrel sit up on his knees. “I am sort of worried.”

“About my dad?” Gavrel asked.

“Your dad's not like my dad,” Jakob said. “Or my mom. If your dad tells my parents...they won't take it well.”

Gavrel moved to sit in a cross-legged position.

“Huh.” Was all he said. Jakob seemed fairly confident about liking boys. Hell, he'd let Gavrel know by giving him a surprise sleepover handjob.

“I am sort of glad we got to do that, though,” Jakob said after a few seconds. “I know you hate to hear it, but I think you're kind of...hot when you're kicking the mattress and stuff.”

Gavrel's cheeks burned and he couldn't help but suppress a smile.

“Too gay, Dude,” he said, rubbing his nose with the heel of his hand.

“Yeah, a little,” Jakob said.

They were both silent for a while.

“I'm at my mom's,” Gavrel finally said. “Wanna come over? She don't know shit.”

“I don't know,” Jakob hesitated. “Maybe we should just cool it for a while? You think?”

“Like, not speak to each other?” Gavrel's brows furrowed.

“Well, over the phone's fine,” Jakob said. “But, Gavrel, honestly I don't think I can just hang out with you anymore. I mean...not without wanting to do stuff we probably shouldn't.”

Gavrel, for reasons he didn't understand, was upset. He wasn't sure if it was anger or something else, but he felt very unhappy at the direction of this conversation. Without giving it any real thought, he blurted out, “Come over and I'll blow you this time.”

The line was silent for a second. Gavrel removed his phone from his ear to check and see if the call dropped.

“What?” Jakob asked finally.

Gavrel laid back down on his stomach, turning his head sideways so he could still talk on the phone.

“Come over to my mom's and I'll suck your dick,” Gavrel told him.

====================================================================================

Mickey and Ian, who were lounging together on the sofa, both sat up when they heard a key turn in the front door. Mickey got up to unfasten the deadbolt and opened the door. It was Yevgeny.

“That was quick,” he told his son.

“Didn't go,” Yevgeny said, ducking past him and heading for the stairs.

“Didn't...Yevvie?” Mickey followed him, but stopped at the bottom. He heard the bedroom door upstairs shut.

Ian stood up too.  
“Poor kid,” Ian said with a sigh.

Yevgeny, kicked his bed as soon as he was in his room. What was wrong with him? Why did he think about that night every time he got around other people? For fuck's sake, he'd been hit by a car when he was eight and spent weeks recovering. Why didn't those memories randomly haunt him?

Ian opened his bedroom door, leaning against the door frame.

“It was probably boring anyway,” Yevgeny told him.

Ian pulled him into a one-armed hug and said nothing.

 

To Be Continued...

 

 


	4. Chapter 4

“Izzy,” Ian said, opening the garage door where his daughter was blasting music and sitting on the floor with various colors of clay. “I'm making hamburgers in the oven tonight. Call Gavvie and see if he wants to come eat.”

“Why can't you call him?” Izzy asked, her brows furrowing.

For nearly two weeks now, Gavrel had stayed with Svetlana. Ian and Mickey were beginning to worry that they really wouldn't see him until school started back up like he'd threatened.

“I'm busy...cooking,” her father replied weakly, and Izzy stared at him.

“Come on, Iz,” Ian all but pleaded.

Izzy shrugged and said, “Alright, but I don't know why you just don't go get him.”

She called Gavrel and spoke briefly, glancing at Ian every few seconds, and when she hung up the phone, she said simply, “He said no.”

Ian let out a frustrated sigh.

“What's with him anyway?” Izzy asked.

“Teenage things,” Ian muttered and then said, “Well, I'm going to the store. Want to come with me?”

“No thanks,” she said. “And Uncle Liam's coming over anyway. He's giving me his old laptop, but it's still newer than mine.”

“That's nice of him,” Ian said inattentively. Izzy guessed he still had Gavvie on the brain.

He finally snapped out of his daze and said, “Okay, well come lock the front door behind me and call me if you need anything.”

Izzy followed him into the house and did as she was told. Liam came over half an hour later, sort of in a rush because he had a date, and gave her the laptop, which was much smaller, thinner, and shinier than her own.

“Thanks, Uncle Liam,” she said, hurrying to the kitchen table to open it. That's when she saw the Skype icon on the desktop.

=================================================================================================

Yevgeny hurried across the crowded restaurant to the kitchen to fetch clean silverware. It was a busy evening, but that meant more tips and that time would fly, so that made him feel better about it. As he took the silverware back to the table, he bumped into Carmelita, literally.

“Oh, sorry,” she said.

“I bumped into you,” he pointed out. “I'm sorry.”

They both laughed awkwardly. Lita stepped out of the way so he could go take the silverware to the customers. As he set the rolled forks and knives on the table, he glanced back to see Lita taking a couple's order, laughing and joking with them. She caught Yevgeny's eye and smiled a little. He wondered if she was upset with him for standing her up, but she smiled, so he guessed she at least wasn't angry at him.

Once the crowd settled a little, he decided to approach her while she was preparing to take her break.

“Hey,” he said.

“Hey.” She smiled at him as she punched out on the little computer.

“Sorry, I didn't make it to the...” he trailed off.

“Oh, it's okay.” Lita waved her hand dismissively. “We all left kind of early. Another party was going on there, and those people were super loud and obnoxious and kept wanting to bum off our food and drinks.”

“Buttholes,” Yevgeny said with a straight face, and Lita laughed.

“What time do you get off tonight?” She asked. “Maybe we can go eat or something, I mean, if you don't have the sibling parade, or even if you do, I don't mind.”

“I get off at eight,” Yevgeny said. “Sure. Wanna try IHOP again?”

“I actually hated the IHOP over here,” Lita replied, making a face. “I think one of the cooks in the back were smoking. How about that other place? Um...Lydie's?”

“Lyndie,” Yevgeny corrected. “And that place is great, but it's full of hipsters now. They do have really good Tahitian pancakes.”

“What's that?”

“Um, pancakes with fruit cocktail and coconut shavings on top,” he said. “And good pizza too. Kind of weird those are served at the same place.”

“I get off at seven,” Lita said. “So I'll just hang around and wait on you?”

Yevgeny decided that was the perfect way he could not chicken out. He nodded, a little too forcefully and said, “Yeah. Sounds good.”

“Good.” Lita smiled. “I'm gonna go to Jack in the Box. You want anything?”

“I'm good,” he said.

=======================================================================================

“Gavrel?” Alex called outside of his stepson's door. “Mom and I are going out to eat. You sure you and Jakob don't want to come?”

“We're sure!” Gavrel called back.

“Okay,” Alex said, still not opening the door. “I left some money on the kitchen counter if you want pizza.”

Gavrel heard him walk away and down the stairs and turned to Jakob. The boys were sitting side by side on the bed playing a video game. For two weeks now, Gavrel had been living at his mother's house, and though he missed his fathers terribly, he was glad he could still have Jakob over here at this house. He was also glad, in a weird way, that he had finally given Jakob a blowjob. Several of them, actually. He never knew he could get hard and experience the same pleasure he had receiving one, only on a mental level.

Once the game grew too boring, he turned it off with the controller and tossed his controller onto the floor. Jakob set his down gently.

“Wanna go play basketball?” Gavrel asked.

“Sure,” Jakob said. “Don't you have to check your blood sugar first? We've been sitting here playing Call of Duty a long time.”

“You my fuckin' nurse now?” Gavrel asked, raising an eyebrow, but he couldn't help but smile a little as he moved to pick up his finger pricking device from his dresser. “Nurse Jakob.”

He sat back down on the bed, collapsed was more like it, and sat with his legs crossed. He looked at Jakob and then silently handed the other boy the device.

“I think it's so weird that you like to do this,” he told him as Jakob held his hand and pricked his finger.

They looked at each other, something building in both of them that wasn't the urge to play basketball, and Gavrel asked, “Want me to suck you off?”

Jakob shook his head.

“No,” he said. “Sorry, I mean, yes, but I think-I mean, if you're okay with it, I think we should...” he didn't finish because he leaned in and kissed Gavrel, taking the back of the other boy's head to bring him closer.

Gavrel was startled when tongue came into play, but it was actually kind of nice. He'd always heard people say their kissing partners taste like things, but Jakob's mouth tasted like a mouth. It was the smell of his body so close that made him think of things. Jakob always smelled like a mixture of very fresh laundry and exotic food. Of course, Jakob's parents were French and Greek, and both doctors, so there house-which was all white and clean- smelled the same way. It made Gavrel appreciate his own life, in a way, because even though both sets of parents were clean, they didn't mind a lot of clutter, which he liked. Jakob had told him when he was little, he'd gotten in trouble for leaving a Tonka Truck in the living room.

They pulled back a little, and Jakob kissed the corner of Gavrel's mouth.

“I like this too,” he told Gavrel. “Kissing. I mean, if it isn't too gay for you.”

Gavrel pulled back and held his head.

“I feel dizzy, Man,” he said.

“Where's your insulin pump?” Jakob asked, raising the tail of Gavrel's shirt to check for it. It wasn't attached to his hip as it normally was.

“I just started taking my shots again,” Gavrel said and then said, “Shit.”

“What?” Jakob was worried.

“I didn't take it this morning,” Gavrel said, standing up. “Or yesterday.”

“Why?” Jakob asked, very worried now.

“Because I've been using the pump, and I forgot. Jesus.” Gavrel walked over to the door and leaned against it.

===============================================================================================

Mickey and Ian were happy to have Izzy eating with them at the table. She chatted away with them, as charming and animated as she used to be. They only wished Yevgeny and Gavrel were at the table too. Mickey's phone rang and he groaned, “Better not be work.”

“Don't answer it if it's work,” Izzy told him.

“It's Gavvie,” Mickey said, answering it. “Hey, Kid.”

“Dad?” Gavrel sounded strange.

“Yeah.” Mickey's brows furrowed. “Everything okay?”

“I can't find my insulin over here,” Gavrel said. “Do I have any over there?”

“The fuck, Gav.” Mickey stood up. “Yeah, I'm gonna get it right now. Are you okay?”

Ian stood up too, a concerned look on his face.

“I feel dizzy,” Gavrel said. “But I don't think I'm gonna die or anything. Mom and Alex went out so I don't know where it is. It's not in the bathroom like it usually is.”

After several seconds of silence he said, “Don't get mad. Jake's here with me.”

Mickey said, “That's okay. That's good actually. Dad and me are on our way right now. You tell Jake to call me if you start to feel worse.”

He hung up and looked at Ian.

“Kid doesn't have his insulin,” he said. “We need to get over there. Like, right fuckin' now.”

Ian nodded and told Izzy, “Come lock the door behind us.”

==============================================================================================

“I found it,” Jakob said, bringing Gavrel his insulin pump.

Gavrel grinned weakly. “This has happened before. More than once. I wish people wouldn't freak out so fucking much.”

“It's hard not to,” Jakob said dryly, helping him to attach it.

“I hate being diabetic,” Gavrel admitted.

“I'm sorry I freaked out,” Jakob told him.

“You didn't freak out as much as my parents do,” Gavrel said. He started to feel a little better.

“Jake?” He asked.

“Mmhmm?” Jakob put Gavrel's shirt back down, smoothing it over the pump.

“I know you said you're gay,” Gavrel said, unsure of why he was so uncomfortable. “But do you-do we do the stuff we do because we're always together and willing to suck each other off, or do you think you like me enough that you want it to be me and not some random dude?”

Jakob chuckled softly. Gavrel flipped him off.

“I like you,” Jakob said. “I mean, I'm happy being friends, but if you were gay, I'd like it if you were my boyfriend too, you know?”

The sound of the door unlocking downstairs startled them both, and pretty soon Ian and Mickey were in the bedroom. Jakob turned the color of notebook paper.

“Hey.” Ian sat next to Gavrel on the floor and rubbed his hair, turning his head to stare at his eyes and make sure he looked lucid enough.

“Jake found my pump,” Gavrel told them. “I'm not dying, if that's what you're wondering.”

“Shut up,” Mickey said. “Why weren't you taking your insulin?”

“I stopped using the pump,” Gavrel said.

“Why?” Ian asked.

Gavrel didn't want to admit that it made him feel awkward when him and Jakob were doing illicit things together. He didn't like that obnoxious thing on his hip pumping life into him to be seen by someone like Jakob. It didn't make sense, he knew, but lately, a lot of things didn't make sense to him.

“Let's get you some orange juice or something, alright?” Mickey asked, helping him up.

==========================================================================================

Izzy knew that Gavrel would be okay. He'd forgotten to take insulin before. She took the opportunity, while her fathers were gone, to shut herself in her room and log onto Skype. She wondered if Dmetri had forgotten about her. She sent him a message and waited to see if he would get online, his end of the video chat window black.

After six to seven minutes, his face appeared.

“Hi,” she said, her cheeks burning.

“I was wondering where you ran off to,” he teased. “I just got up.”

“I can tell,” Izzy said. “You have bedhead.”

“Bedhead?”

Izzy translated this into Russian.

“I got the flowers,” she said. “They were really pretty. Thank you.”

“Not as pretty as you,” he told her, and her cheeks turned even redder.

They talked and talked, Izzy desperately checking the time every few minutes, wondering when her fathers would return. Finally, Dmetri said, “I have to get ready for school, but maybe in the morning, on your end, we can talk again?”

“Yeah, okay,” Izzy said, bobbing her head up and down.

“Isidora?” He asked, his voice a little different than its usually light, charming tone.

“Mmhmm?”

“I think I want to draw you,” he told her. “I've been thinking about it for a while. Would you let me?”

“Draw me?” Izzy grinned. “You want to draw me?”

“You're so beautiful,” he continued. “And I have some charcoal pencils burning a hole in my art case.”

Izzy laughed a little at the joke.

“You can draw me,” she said.

“I want to take a picture of you then,” he said. “I'll just use a screenshot from Skype.”

“My hair's a mess,” Izzy groaned good-naturedly, fingering her messy bun/ponytail that was falling apart. “And I'm not wearing any makeup.”

“I'm not worried about makeup,” Dmetri told her with a shrug. “I actually want you to be natural. I want this to be a very open, natural piece of work.”

“Oh.” Izzy said. “Okay.”

“Would it be too much if I asked you to take off your clothes?” Dmetri asked, smiling shyly. “When it comes to a natural sketch, I want to do it one hundred percent natural. If that's alright.”

Izzy's heart pounded. “My clothes?”

“Only if you're alright with it,” Dmetri said.

=================================================================================================

Yevgeny was just about to get off work. Lita had gotten off an hour earlier, and told him she was running home to change. He was excited, and knew that things would be okay. Lita wasn't out to get him. She was friendly, and pretty, and he did want to spend time with her.

“Yev, can you get the corner table?” Jamie asked, whizzing by with a tray of chicken wings.

“Sure.” Yevgeny whipped out his order pad and made his way over to the corner table, which was the smallest table in the restaurant with only two seats.

“Hi,” he said, still focused on digging around in his pocket for his pen. “How're you doin' tonight? My name's Yev, I'll be your server-”

He looked up at his customers, and his heart stopped.

“Hi, Yevgeny.”

It was Jennifer Tuley.

 

 

To Be Continued...

 

 

 

 


	5. Chapter 5

The house was dark when Ian and Mickey returned home. They had waited on Svetlana and Alex to return, who both scolded Gavrel about his insulin, and Ian and Mickey had been careful not to mention anything else. Ian chucked the car keys onto the kitchen table as Mickey flipped on the kitchen light.

"Izzy?" Ian called. He looked at Mickey and asked, "Think she went to bed?"

"Barely eight-thirty," Mickey replied, and both of them traveled up the stairs. 

"Izzy." Ian knocked on her door before opening it a crack, and then all the way. Her room was dark and she was lying in bed. 

Turning to Mickey he said, "Yeah, she's in bed."

"I gotta piss," Mickey said, shaking his head and traveling the short distance across the hall to the bathroom. 

Ian started to walk out of her room, but stopped when he heard Izzy make a strange sound. A sniffle, he realized. He turned and walked back over to her bed.

"Diz," he said affectionately, bending over to touch her hair. "Hey, are you crying?"

"No," Izzy said in a scratchy voice, taking one hand out from under the covers to wipe at her eyes and nose.

"What's wrong?" Ian asked, concerned. "Are you worried about Gavvie? He's fine."

"Okay," Izzy said in a surprisingly small voice.

Ian patted her through the covers and then leaned down to kiss her. He felt something else might be wrong, and waited a few more seconds, but Izzy said, "Good night."

It was his invitation to leave.

"Yeah," he said, standing back up all the way. "Good night."

He walked out and nearly bumped into Mickey, who was trying to peer past him into the bedroom.

"She okay?" Mickey asked.

Ian sighed and said with a shrug, "Yeah. I guess she was worried about Gavvie."

\-------------------------------------------------------------

They hadn't been in bed long when their door opened just a crack. Izzy walked in, her face red and her eyes glossy. She sniffed and her chin quivered.

"Izzy?" Mickey sat up. "Hey, Kid. What's wrong?"

"Am I too old to sleep in your bed?" She asked pitifully before breaking down in sobs.

Ian sat up too and motioned for her to come closer. She allowed herself to half be tugged onto the bed as Ian held her close, stroking her dark hair. 

"What's wrong?" Mickey asked. "I know this ain't about Gavvie. The fuck's goin' on with you?"

Izzy let out a long, shuddering sigh and said nothing. She simply buried her face into Ian's t-shirt, and Ian looked at Mickey, who scrubbed a hand down his mouth. 

\---------------------------------------------------------------

"What are you doing here?" Yevgeny asked in a low voice, looking around nervously.

"Ordering food," Jennifer Tuley answered simply. "I'll have the usual. You remember that, right? It's what I always ordered waiting for you to get off work so we could-"

"You should be in jail," Yevgeny interrupted her quietly, but sharply. 

"I told you," she replied. "My father's a judge. I got a slap on the wrist, but props to you. I lost my job."

Yevgeny wanted to say 'good, serves you right', but he could not bring himself to say anything. He tucked his pad and pen back into his back pocket and scrubbed a hand down his mouth. Jennifer Tuley watched him, biting her bottom lip with an amused look in her eye.

"You're the boy who cried 'rape' , you know," she said.

"You did-you-you...to me,.." he replied, so nervous about people listening in that he found himself stammering.

"I spent sixty days in jail because you put your dick in me," she told him.

"You spent time in jail because you drugged me and involved me in weird, sick things with your ex-husband," Yevgeny said. "What do you want from me anyway?"

Yevgeny turned to see Lita approaching them. She smiled briefly at the former teacher and then turned all of her radiant attention to Yevgeny.

"You almost off?" She asked cheerfully. She was wearing a cute sundress and denim jacket and had on nice makeup. Yevgeny knew this was probably more than just breakfast for dinner to her.

"This your girlfriend?" Jennifer Tuley asked casually, smiling like she thought it was cute.

"Oh, I'm just another server," Lita said, dismissing the idea with her hand. She looked between them, trying to figure out how they knew each other.

Jennifer Tuley stood up and said, "You know what? I'm actually running late to meet someone."

She started to walk away and then snapped her fingers like she forgot something. Turning on her expensive high heels, she said, "Yevgeny, I think you left something on my computer. Wanna swing by and get it? Maybe after..." she looked at Lita and shrugged. 

Yevgeny stared at her, hating her for what she was doing to him, and Lita's cheeks turned red through her light brown skin. When she was out the door, Yevgeny found himself able to breathe, but he was shaking. He turned to Lita, ashamed for the past ten minutes, and she folded her lips in.

"I'm...I'm sorry about that," Yevgeny said.

"Oh, it's okay," Lita said, shrugging.

"No!" Yevgeny snapped, not loudly, but forcefully. He took a deep breath and tugged at his hair with both hands. A nervous habit he'd had since he was a child. "I mean, it's not okay. I'm not okay. I'm so sorry, I can't go. I can't-"

"Yevgeny?" Lita looked concerned. "Hey, are you alright?"

"I'm fucked, okay? You don't wanna be friends with me."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"He did what?" Mickey asked, fighting ever urge in his being not to punch a hole in the wall.

"He wanted me to take off my clothes and take a picture," Izzy said, sitting cross-legged on their bed. Her voice was still scratchy and her eyes were still red and tearful. 

"Izzy," Ian sighed with a desperate look on his face. "Please tell me-"

"I didn't," she said, looking between them. "I almost did. He saw my belly button, I think, but I chickened out, and then he got mad. He called me a...a bad word. I don't wanna say it."

"You don't have to say it," Mickey said flatly.

Izzy wiped at her nose and Ian silently handed her a Kleenex from the nightstand table beside the bed.

"He's not in Russia," she said, her eyes filling with tears again and when she blinked, they slid down her cheeks. "He's here in Chicago. He goes to the high school. He told me Tiffany Borodin is his sister and she...she told him I was a sex addict or something. She never liked me and she even called me a lesbo last year because I was drawing vaginas on the walls in the bathroom."

"So this kid is here," Mickey said, pressing his index finger to the comforter for emphasis. "In town?"

Izzy nodded. "And his name's not Dmetri. It's John."

Ian looked at Mickey and asked, "Why would some prick do something like this?"

"A lot of the girls at school hate me," Izzy said. "The popular ones, but I talk back to them so that's probably why."

"I'm gonna kill that little fucker," Mickey said. 

"I feel so stupid," Izzy said, drawing her knees up and burying her face in them. "I hate myself."

"You're not stupid," Ian said gently. "And you did the right thing. No boys have any right to see you naked right now."

"Or ever," Mickey added sharply and Ian shot him a look that said 'really?'

"I want Mom," Izzy said, wiping at her cheeks some more. "Can I go to her house tonight?"

Mickey nodded and took his phone, dialing Svetlana. When she answered, he explained to her without telling her a lot what was going on and Svetlana was silent for a few moments. She finally said, "Let me talk to her."

Mickey handed the phone to Izzy and she began to cry hard as soon as she heard Svetlana's voice.

"Mama!" She cried, followed by a string of incoherent blubbering. She nodded and said, "Come get me."

She handed the phone back to Mickey and Svetlana asked, "Who is Dmetri?"

"I'll explain everything when you get here," Mickey said. "Fuckin' kids are drivin' me batshit. Did Jakob stay the night?"

"No. Why?"

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ian and Mickey were both up. Svetlana had just left with Izzy, the same amount of anger over this Dmetri/John kid, which Mickey was happy to bond over, even though he was slightly put off that Izzy wanted her mother more. Ian must have read his mind.

"Girls feel safer with their moms about these things," he said, but it did not make Mickey feel better. He felt he was failing all of his kids. Yevgeny was distant and buried himself in busing tables. Gavrel flat out stayed away, and now Izzy didn't feel secure enough with them when things went to shit in her life.

A knock sounded at the door and Ian said, "Yev probably forget his key."

He opened it and his brows furrowed slightly. It was a teenage girl, and a worried looking teenage girl at that.

"Hi..." Ian said carefully. 

"Hi." The girl braided her fingers together nervously and asked, "Are you Yevgeny's dad? Is this his house?"

"Yeah," Mickey said, coming to the door.

"My name's Carmelita," she said in a nervous rush. "I work with Yevgeny. I got the address from my boss. Sorry, I don't know if woke you."

"You're fine," Ian said and stepped aside, gesturing for her to come in.

Carmelita stepped in and said, "Yevgeny and I were supposed to go out tonight and he left alone instead, but I think-well, I mean, I followed him out to his car and he was saying something about 'making things right' and how...uh... 'messed up' he was."

Ian and Mickey looked at each other.

"I haven't known him that long," she said quickly. "But he always seems so happy, and he was really a mess and he actually left work without clocking out and I'm worried about him."

Ian licked his lips and asked, "Okay, um...Carmelita?"

She nodded.

"Did he say where he was going by any chance?" Ian asked.

"He didn't, but there was a woman he was waiting on, and I think she had him rattled," Lita said. 

"A woman?" Mickey's brows furrowed and then went up. "SHIT."

Lita's cheeks turned red.

"I'm really sorry to bother you two so late at night-"

"It's okay," Mickey told her. 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jennifer Tuley was startled awake when there was loud rapping at her apartment door. She put a bathrobe on over her t-shirt and panties and went to the door. She looked through the peek-hole and then unlocked the deadbolt, opening the door.

"Yevgeny?" She frowned slightly, unclenching her robe in the middle. "What the fuck?"

Yevgeny pushed past her into her apartment and said, "You tell me. The fuck were you doing there? Why can't you leave me alone?"

"How can you go on pretending that everything is wonderful and perfect knowing that you ruined my life?" Jennifer scoffed. "Were you planning on it while I sucked your dick? When you were pounding me in the backseat of my car?"

"I ruined..." Yevgeny said and then spat, "You ruined my life! What made you think you could invite some guy into bed with us? And why drug me?"

"I told you I had fetishes," she spat back. "You just never listened to me, and whether you admit it or not, you liked it. You liked me, you liked Paxton, and you liked being a little bitch. That's what really kills you, huh?"

She took small, slow steps towards him. He walked backwards until he was collapsing into one of her kitchen chairs. 

"You look like a child, Yev," she said, kissing his jawline. "But you're practically a man. You know what you want."

"You still have that video of me, don't you?" He asked quietly. 

Jennifer grinned through her kissing and said, "Tell you what, and I've offered before. Let's do it again. No drugs. No 'rape', and if you like it, you'll feel so much better because I know that's what's bothering you. You don't know if it was really rape or not, and if you hate it, I'll pack up and leave town, and you'll have your manhood back because you weren't 'forced' like a fucking girl."

"No," Yevgeny said in a small voice, putting his face in his hands.

"You know it will make everything better, Sweetheart," Jennifer said, uncovering his face, kissing his lips.

Yevgeny stared at her, shame all over his face. She nuzzled his jaw and said, "I'll call Pax."

"No!" Yevgeny stood up. "Just stay the fuck away from me."

He walked out before she could say anything. When he got to the car, he climbed in and took several deep breaths. He called Carmelita.

"Yevgeny?" She answered on the first ring. "Hey."

"Hey." He sighed, massaging his eyes with his fingertips. "I'm sorry I freaked out on you tonight, and I bailed on you the other night."

"It's okay," She replied. "I went to your house, your dad, and...some other guy, they're really worried."

Yevgeny smiled a little. "They're both my dad."

"Well, they're both really worried," she replied. "And I am too. Look, I know we don't really know each other and I'm not trying to marry you or anything. You're just...you're the first guy around here that hasn't made me feel like I had to put out."

She made an embarrassed sound and laughed nervously. "I didn't just friendzone you, did I?"

Yevgeny smiled a little more.

"No," he said, actually shaking his head. "And you shouldn't have to feel like that. I mean, Jesus, Lita, that's not right to have to feel like that."

"Lyndie's stays open all night," he added. "I mean, if you're still hungry."

"Tahitian pancakes sound really good," she replied.

"Let me just swing by my house first," he said. "Let my parents know I'm not dead or whatever they thought."

"I'm actually here," she told him. "They're sort of holding me prisoner, I think, but one of them made me coffee. It was really sweet."

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"You little shit," Mickey said, hugging Yevgeny as soon as he came into the house.

"Where did you go?" Ian asked, grabbing him next, throwing his arms around him.

"I needed some air," Yevgeny said. "I've sort of been on the brink of climb the clock tower scenario for a little bit."

Quickly he added, "I would never climb a clock tower and do that."

Ian smiled a little and said softly, "We know."

He glanced briefly at Carmelita on the couch drinking coffee and then gave Yevgeny a knowing look. He mouthed, 'she's cute' and then moved away a few feet to massage his tired eyes.

"You okay?" Mickey asked his son, knowing he was. He could just sense it. 

"Yeah, Dad." Yevgeny nodded a little, and so did Mickey.

"Ready to go get pancakes?" He asked Lita, who nodded and stood up.

"You two have fun," Ian said. "Nice to meet you, Carmelita."

"Oh, same here." She smiled and nodded.

She and Yevgeny walked outside and they both stood by the car. Yevgeny rubbed the side of his neck awkwardly.

"I've had some shit happen to me this year," he admitted. "I think I've finally started to work through it, but I'm sorry...again."

"I've had shit happen to me this year too," Lita said softly, rocking back and forth on her heels, her hands jammed into her denim jacket. "It's actually why we moved."

She leaned forward and stood up to kiss his cheek.

"I recognize it," she said. "And it's okay. You're getting past that 'it was somehow my fault' stage."

Yevgeny looked at her, almost shocked by how understanding she sounded.

"I got shit-faced at a party," she said, giving him a half smile, a sad one. "Just now worked past the 'should've stayed home' phase."

Yevgeny opened the car door for her. She climbed in and he moved around to climb in the other side. They both turned to see Ian and Mickey peeking through the blinds. When Yevgeny frowned at them, they stopped peeking. 

Lita chuckled and Yevgeny shook his head, starting the car.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The following night, Ian, Svetlana, Alex, and Izzy went to the movies. Mickey stayed home. He'd been at work all day and the last thing he wanted to do was fight the movie crowd. As he settled down on the couch with a beer to watch TV, he heard the front door trying to unlock. He got up and locked the deadbolt, opening the door. It was Gavrel.

"Hey." Mickey tried to hide his confusion and excitement by acting casual.

Gavrel followed him inside, shutting the door behind them and locking it.

"Hey," he said. 

"You didn't go to the movies?" Mickey asked, sitting back on the couch. 

Gavrel shook his head, still standing. He took off his hat and played with some of his unruly hair, that was so red and gold it glittered. Mickey wondered if Ian would be jealous that his son's red hair was nicer than his own. 

"Everything okay?" Mickey asked, turning the TV to mute.

"I'm gay," Gavrel said, staring anywhere and everywhere but his father. 

For several long, painful seconds, neither of them said anything. When Gavrel finally looked at Mickey, his face was flushed with shame and there were tears silently trailing down his cheeks, making his blue eyes seem bluer. Without a word, Mickey stood up and moved to embrace him. Gavrel hated being held and coddled-even as a smaller child he'd wriggled away from hugs and kisses, but now, he gripped Mickey's shirt as he let out small gasping sounds, crying against his father.

"I's okay," Mickey said softly, kissing his head and rubbing his back. "It's okay."

Gavrel pulled back and wiped at his eyes with the heel of his hand. Mickey nodded toward the couch with his head and Gavrel followed him. They both sat.

"I've been where you are," Mickey said. "It's scary. It's fuckin' lonely."

Gavrel swallowed hard, staring straight ahead. 

"Dad and I should have explained it better a long time ago," his father said, and prodded Gavrel to look at him.

"You're not a gay person, Gav, you're a person who happens to be gay. It doesn't define you in any fuckin' way," he told him. "These fags that run around giving ugly fuckers makeovers and shit and wearing eye gel and cooking fish in white wine..."

He smiled when he caught Gavrel trying not to smile.

"Those guys aren't fags because they like dick, they're fags because they have dicks and they don't act like it," he continued. "You can still be a man and like men."

He stroked some of Gavrel's shaggy bangs in need of a trim.

"Took me a long time to figure that out," he said quietly.

Gavrel leaned back against the couch, letting out a long, drawn-out sigh.

"Yevvie and Izzy aren't gay," he said, staring at the ceiling.

Mickey shrugged, taking a swig of his beer.

"Don't tell Ian," Gavrel said. "Not yet. Please."

Mickey stared at him, but finally said, "Okay, yeah. That's...that's fine."

 

Should I continue? Please let me know

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The end? I'm not sure if it wraps up as a solid ending to this tale. I'll let you be the judge. I'm still writing "Raising Yevgeny Milkovich" so my writing thoughts all kind of blend together. If you'd like more in this series, please please PLEASE let me know in the comments, because my brain is TV static half the time so I don't know unless you tell me. I want to thank all of you for keeping up with the series, though, especially since Shameless has taken away all things that Gallavich, I mean good. I mean Gallavich.


End file.
